Died Home on Saturday, 7th November 1914, age 24 or 25.
Buried in Grave Screen Wall. W1. "C." 91. at Sheffield (Burngreave) Cemetery.
1st Bn., South Staffordshire Regiment. 22nd Brigade of 7th Division.
Born: Wednesbury, Enlisted: Lichfield, Resident: Wednesbury.
First landed France & Flanders, 4th October 1914.
Medal entitlement: 1914 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.
Commemorated on the St. Mark's Memorial.
Commemorated here because he appears on a Tipton memorial.
Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/412590/
Birth of James Edward Slater registered December quarter 1889 in West Bromwich.
1901 Census
56 Ethelfleda Terrace, Wednesbury, Staffs.
James Slater (45, Puddler, born West Bromwich), his wife Sarah (39, born West Bromwich), and their 5 children: Ann M. (12, born Wednesbury), James (11, born Wednesbury), Benjamin (8, born Wednesbury), George (7, born Wednesbury), and Isaac (6, born Wednesbury).
By 1911, James had joined the Army, he was stationed in Gibraltar with the 1st Battalion, South Staffs Regiment.
1911 Census
14 Brick Kiln Croft, Wednesbury, Staffs.
James Slater (56, Puddler, born West Bromwich), his wife Sarah (48, born West Bromwich), and 4 of their 6 surviving children of 8: Benjamin (18, Core Maker, born Wednesbury), George (17, Bolt Heater, born Wednesbury), Isaac (16, Bolt Heater, born Wednesbury) and Lydia (9, School, born Wednesbury).
1911 Census
1st Bn., South Staffs Regiment, South Barracks, Gibraltar.
James Edward Slater (21, Private, born Wednesbury).
James Slater was born and seems to have lived in Wednesbury. He is commemorated on the St Mark's Memorial, so he is not really a Tipton man, but is here because of his commemoration.
James had been employed as a Plater's Labourer, but at the age of 18 decided to see more of the world. On 23rd May 1908 he joined the South Staffords, enlisting in Wednesbury. He certainly saw more of the world, in 1911 he was stationed in Gibraltar, and in 1914 at the outbreak of war, he was stationed in South Africa.
In July 1915, James's outstanding army pay of £9/9/0d (nine pounds and nine shillings) was distributed to his brother's Benjamin and George, his sister Ann Maria, and to his mother Sarah. In July 1919, his War Gratuity of £5 was paid to his mother, Sarah.
James landed in Zeebrugge with the initial landing of the 1st South Staffs on 4th October 1914. It is probable that he was still a regular soldier, as he had been in 1911, and had therefore been stationed in South Africa at the outbreak of the war.
The 1st South Staffs were part of the 7th Division made up from units serving abroad at the time of the outbreak of war. They landed in Belgium in October 1914 to help defend Antwerp, but arriving too late to prevent the city falling to the Germans. Instead, the 7th Division moved to Ypres, being the first British Division to serve in the 'Immortal Salient".
The 1st South Staffs were heavily involved in all phases of the First Battle of Ypres, arriving on the 14th October 1914. Between the 19th to 21st October they fought on the Broodseinde Ridge, a successful delaying action which inflicted heavy casualties on the Germans. They were then involved in the Battle of Langemarck between the 21st to 24th October, and by 26th October in action near Zantvoorde. Remaining in the Zandvoorte area, they took further severe casualties between the 29th and 31st October during the Battle of Gheluvelt, infamous for the 2nd Worcesters charge on the 31st October at Gheluvelt.
The 1st South Staffs was pulled back from the Front just days before the end of the 1st Battle of Ypres. When it had landed in Belgium just a few weeks before it had been a force of 1,100 officers and men; now only 78 remained. Almost every officer had either been killed or wounded, and only one N.C.O., Company Sergeant Major F. Bytheway, was left to bring the men out of action.
During one of these engagements, although it is impossible to say which, James Slater was wounded, and transported back though the casualty clearing chain, and arrived back in England.
James was treated in the 3rd Northern General Hospital in Sheffield; this was based in the Sheffield Teacher Training College in Collegiate Crescent,off Ecclesall Road, Sheffield. James would have arrived here by train, but on the 7th November died from his wounds. He is buried in Sheffield (Burngreave) Cemetery where there is a Screen Wall commemorating those First World War casualties whose graves could not be marked by headstones.
None.